Special Events

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These special events in clubs offer additional masterpoints and, in some cases, hand records and analyses. Call your club to learn if these events are scheduled in your area or go to Participating Clubs.

For more information about these events and masterpoint awards, Players – click here. Club Managers click here.

Worldwide Bridge Contest (WBF)Clubs can start The Worldwide Bridge Contest games at any time of the day, Friday and Saturday games are independent.

June 12

Wednesday/ afternoon

Olympiad Fund GameCanada-wide Event – 1 of 2

June 16-23

Select one day

The Longest DayAlzheimer Association
ACBL-wide event, but not an ACBL-wide game.
Clubs can select one day during this week.

July

All month

North American PairsFlights A, B and C

July 8

Monday/Daytime*

ACBL-wide Summer Instant Matchpoint GameDigital materials only

August

All month

North American PairsFlights A, B and C

August 6

Tuesday/ Evening

ACBL-wide Junior Fund GameOpen to all ages – 2 of 2

September

All month

Club International Fund Games

September 12

Thursday/Daytime*

ACBL-wide International Fund Game2 of 3

October

All month

Jane Johnson Club Appreciation GamesClubs can hold one pair game and one team game per sanctioned session

October 4

Friday afternoon

ACBL-wide Senior Pairs2 of 2

October 10

Thursday afternoon

Olympiad Fund GameCanada-wide Event – 2 of 2

October 21

Monday/ any session

Erin Berry Rookie/Master GameCanada-wide Event

October 31

Thursday/Daytime*

ACBL-wide Instant Matchpoint GamePrinted materials available

December 16

Monday/ Daytime*

ACBL-wide International Fund Game3 of 3

*Clubs may start these games anytime between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PMBack to top

Information for Clubs

When a sectional (excluding STaCs) or higher rated event (regional or NABC) is being conducted within 25 miles of a club game’s playing site, the club is permitted to hold only its
regularly scheduled club masterpoint games. This regulation does not apply to Limited/Restricted Sectionals.

2018 Games

September 2018

Game

Date

Masterpoints

Sanction

Sanction Fees

Info

International Fund Month

All Month

63.6% sectional-rated black

No special sanction required

$5 per table

All sanctioned club sessions in September may be held as International Fund Club Games to support North American participation in international events. International Fund Games cannot be held during the months of January, April and May. Contact: specialevents@acbl.org

Grand National Teams

Begins Sept. 1 (qualifying dates set by district)

Club qualifying games 50/50 red and black at 81.8% sectional rating
One-session unit qualifying games sectional rated red
Two-session unit qualifying games include percentage of gold for overalls.
District finals award gold for section firsts and overalls. Flight C is 25% gold for overalls. Other masterpoints in all flights are red.
Flights: Championship (Open), A (0-6000), B (0-2500), C (0-500 Non-Life Masters)

No special sanction required for clubs. Units and Districts. Sanction required. Click here for sanction form.

$2.25 per table per session

Final: Summer 2019 NABC
This event begins at the club level and continues through district qualifying events held as late as June prior to the finals.
**The ACBL does not reimburse teams to attend the finals, but check with your district for available district support. The 2018-2019 Conditions of Contest will be available Summer 2018.

Game supplies are emailed four weeks before game date.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least five full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Game may be stratified with top strat open.
Games with 17 or more tables or two sections must have a non-playing director.
Winners recognized on website and in the Bridge Bulletin
Hand records and analyses provided electronicallySanction your International Fund game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

October 2018

Game

Date

Masterpoints

Sanction

Sanction Fees

Info

Jane Johnson Club Appreciation Month

All Month

Awards for Club Appreciation Pair games are 81.8% sectional-rated black
Awards for Club Appreciation Team games are 5% gold to a maximum of 0.25 per player
The remaining points are sectional-rated black

No special sanction required

$1 per table

These events must be held during your regular club sanctioned sessions.
You may hold one pair game and one team game per-sanctioned session.
This event may not conflict with a higher rated one.
A minimum of three tables is required (pair games)
A minimum of three teams is required (team games)
Field must be seeded.
Both games may be stratified.
This event may not be held within 25 miles of a sectional.
This event may not be held during a district regional.

Click here for Conditions of Contest for the pair game and here for the team game.

Restricted to players born prior to January 1, 1959. (One age-ineligible pair is allowed. The pair is not eligible for Masterpoint awards.)
Game supplies are emailed four weeks before game date.
Any club OR unit may hold this game.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least five full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Game may be stratified with top strat open.
Game with 17 tables or more or two sections must have a non-playing director.
Winners recognized on website and in the Bridge Bulletin
Hand records and analyses provided electronicallySanction your Senior Pair game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org.

Canada Olympiad Fund Game

October 11 (Thursday Afternoon)

81.8% sectional-rated black

Special sanction required

$8.35 per table plus $1.00 per table in U.S. funds.

Game supplies are emailed four weeks before game date.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time.
If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least three full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Games of 17 or more tables or more than one section must have a non-playing director.
Hand records and analyses provided electronicallySanction your Canada Olympiad Fund game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

Erin Berry Canadian Rookie-Master Game

October 25 (Thursday)

56% sectional-rated black

A special “pro-am” game pairing newcomers with fewer than 50 points with more experienced players.
*Hand records and analyses provided
For information: Please contact canbridge@rogers.com.

ACBL-wide Instant Matchpoint Game

October 31 (Wednesday afternoon)

One gold point to section tops in each direction in each club, remaining points red/black at 81.8%sectional rating.
Overall Awards: 1st, 20; depth of awards, 10 places
District Winners: 1st, 10; depth of awards, 5 places

Special sanction required

$12.00 per table

Game supplies shipped four weeks prior to game date
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
Games of 17 or more tables or more than one section must have a non-playing director.
Games must have five tables and a minimum of 18 boards.
High scores must be reported to the ACBL by the date specified.
Winners recognized on website and in the Bridge Bulletin
Hand records and analyses provided
See your score instantly after each deal is played! Features for players include a booklet with complete analyses of the deals by national champion Larry Cohen.
Conditions of Contest will be available Summer of 2018.Sanction your Instant Matchpoint game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

Game supplies are emailed four weeks before game date.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least five full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Games may be stratified with top strat open.
Games with 17 tables or more must have a non-playing director.
Winners recognized on website and in the Bridge Bulletin
Hand records and analyses provided electronicallySanction your International Fund game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

2019 Games

January 2019

Game

Date

Masterpoints

Sanction

Sanction Fees

Special Instructions

Junior Fund Month

All Month

63.6% sectional-rated black

No special sanction required

$5 per table

All sanctioned club sessions in January may be held as Junior Fund Games. Junior Fund Games cannot be held during the months of April, May and September. Players earn extra masterpoints while helping the Junior program for youth up to age 26. Junior players have their own special events as well. Check them out at acbl.org/juniors.

ACBL-wide Junior Fund Game #1

January 22 (Tuesday Daytime – start times are from 10 AM through 3:00 PM local time)

Game supplies are emailed two weeks before game.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least five full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Games may be stratified with top strat open.
Games with 17 tables or more must have a non-playing director.Sanction your Junior Fund game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

Game supplies are emailed two weeks before game.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least five full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Games may be stratified with top strat open.
Games with 17 tables or more must have a non-playing director.
Winners recognized on website and in the Bridge Bulletin
Hand records and analyses provided electronicallySanction your International Fund game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

ACBL-wide Charity Game

February 20 (Wednesday Daytime -start times are from 10 AM through 3:00 PM local time)

This game does not qualify a club to run a charity club championship for a local charity.
Game supplies are emailed two weeks before game date.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least five full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Games with 17 or more tables or two sections must have a non-­playing director.
Winners recognized on website and in the Bridge Bulletin
Hand records and analyses provided electronicallySanction your Charity game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

Game supplies are emailed two weeks before game date.
Any club OR unit may hold this game.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least five full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Game may be stratified with top strat open.
Game with 17 tables or more or two sections must have a non-playing director.
Winners recognized on website and in the Bridge Bulletin
Hand records and analyses provided electronicallySanction your Senior Pair game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

April 2019

Game

Date

Masterpoints

Sanction

Sanction Fees

Special Instructions

Charity Month

All Month

63.6% sectional-rated black

No special sanction required

$5 per table

All sanctioned club sessions may be held as Charity Games during April. Charity Games cannot be held during the months of January, May and September. Games support the ACBL Charity Foundation and Canadian Bridge Federation Charitable Fund or may support local charities

ACBL-wide Charity Game

April 3 (Wednesday Daytime– start times are from 10 AM through 3:00 PM local time)

This game does not qualify a club to run a charity club championship for a local charity.
Game supplies are emailed two weeks before game date.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least five full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Games with 17 or more tables or two sections must have a non-playing director.
Winners recognized on website and in the Bridge Bulletin
Hand records and analyses provided electronicallySanction your Charity game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

Helen Shields Canadian Rookie-Master Game

April 10 (Wednesday)

56% sectional-rated black

A special “pro-am” game pairing newcomers with fewer than 20 points with more experienced players.
For information: Please contact canbridge@rogers.com. *Hand records and analyses provided.

May -June 2019

Game

Date

Masterpoints

Sanction

Sanction Fees

Special Instructions

Grass Roots FUNd Month*

All May

63.6% sectional-rated black

No special Sanction required

$5 per table

All sanctioned club sessions in May may be held as Grass Roots FUNd Games. Grass Roots FUNd Games cannot be held during the months of January, April and September. Funds raised will be returned annually to the individual district in which those funds were raised to help fund Grand National Teams and North American Pairs. Contact specialevents@acbl.org

North American Pairs (NAP)

June 1-August 31

Club qualifying games 50/50 red and black at 81.8% sectional rating
One-session unit qualifying games sectional rated red
Two-session unit qualifying games include percentage of gold for overalls.
District finals award gold for section firsts and overalls. Flight C is 25% gold for overalls. Other masterpoints in all flights are red.

No special sanction required for clubs. Frequency-Clubs: Clubs may hold two NAP games per sanctioned session in each of the months of June, July and August.
Sanction-Units and Districts: Sanction required. Click Here for Sanction Form

Flights: A (Open), B (-2500), C (0-500 Non-Life Masters)
District winners in each flight recognized on web site
Final: Spring 2020 NABC
A highly prestigious “grass roots” event, the North American Pairs starts at the club level in June, July and August. Club-level qualifications may be earned at any club in any unit in any district. A player may qualify as often as desired and with as many different partners as desired. Unit-level qualifiers are optional and held after Sept. 1 and before the district final, which may be held after the unit final until the third week in January. At the district final, both players must have qualified at the club level and must be members of the parent district. A fixed amount prize will be awarded in all flights as follows:

Districts are entitled to three pairs in Flight A (Open) and four pairs in Flights B (0-2500) and C (under 500 Non-Life Master).

First place qualifiers will receive $700 per person; second place qualifiers will receive $300 per person; third and fourth place qualifiers will be invited to participate in the national level finals, but will not receive a prize.

In the event of a tie at the district finals, the qualifiers will receive the total of the awards for the tied places, divided by the number of players involved with the tie.

Invited defenders will receive $700 per person.

No individual may collect two concurrent prizes.

The monetary award will be available on site. Qualifiers must play in the national level event until eliminated to receive the award.
There will be no entry fee for the national level of the event.
Some districts do provide additional funding. Check with your district to learn whether or not they provide additional funding. Conditions of Contest will be available Summer of 2019. Contact specialevents@acbl.org

Worldwide Bridge Contest

Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8

50/50 red and black at 81.8% sectional rating

Special sanction required

$13 per tableGame supplies are emailed two weeks before game date.
Clubs may choose to hold the event in the morning, afternoon or evening session, but may not hold the event more than once each day.
If you choose to hold the game during an unsanctioned session, you may run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least five full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Game may be stratified with top strat open.
Games with 17 or more tables or two sections must have a non-playing director.
Winners recognized on website and in the Bridge Bulletin
Hand records and analyses provided electronically
The top ACBL winners will be recognized on web site and the Bridge Bulletin. It’s the event played around the world! Join us for the Worldwide Bridge Contest sponsored by the World Bridge Federation. This international competition is scored across the world using the Internet to give an overall winner. The Friday and Saturday games are separate events. Each participant receives an electronic booklet. The WBF will award prizes based on world matchpointing. The two top district winners by percentage receive bonus awards. Additional recognition comes from the WBF.Click here to learn more at the Worldwide Bridge Contest website.Sanction your Worldwide Bridge Contest game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

Canada Olympiad Fund Game

June 12 (Wednesday afternoon)

81.8% sectional-rated black

Special sanction required

$8.35 per table plus $1.00 per table in U.S. funds

Game supplies are emailed two weeks before game date.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least three full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Games with 17 or more tables or two sections must have a non-playing director.
Hand records and analyses provided electronicallySanction your Canada Olympiad Fund game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

July-August 2019

Game

Date

Masterpoints

Sanction

Sanction Fees

Special Instructions

North American Pairs

See listing for June

ACBL-wide Instant Matchpoint Game Digital Edition

July 8 (Monday Daytime– start times are from 10 AM through 3:00 PM local time)

Game supplies are emailed two weeks before game date.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
Games of 17 or more tables or more than one section must have a non-playing director.
Games must have five tables and a minimum of 18 boards.
High scores must be reported to the ACBL by the date specified.
Winners recognized on website and in the Bridge Bulletin
Hand records and analyses provided electronicallySanction your Instant Matchpoint game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

Game supplies are emailed two weeks before game.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least five full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Games may be stratified with top strat open.
Games with 17 tables or more must have a non-playing director.Sanction your Junior Fund game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

September 2019

Game

Date

Masterpoints

Sanction

Sanction Fees

Special Instructions

International Fund Month*

All Month

63.6% sectional-rated black

No special sanction required

$5 per table

All sanctioned club sessions in September may be held as International Fund Club Games to support North American participation in international events. International Fund Games cannot be held during the months of January, April and May. Contact specialevents@acbl.org

Grand National Teams (GNT)

Begins Sept. 1 (qualifying dates set by district)

Club qualifying games 50/50 red and black at 81.8% sectional rating
One-session unit qualifying games sectional rated red
Two-session unit qualifying games include percentage of gold for overalls.
District finals award gold for section firsts and overalls. Flight C is 25% gold for overalls. Other masterpoints in all flights are red.

Flights: Championship (Open), A (0-6000), B (0-2500), C (0-500 Non-Life Masters)
District winners in each flight recognized on web site.
Final: Summer 2020 NABC
The second of the ACBL’s “grass roots” events begins again at the club level and continues through district qualifying events held as late as June prior to the finals. The ACBL does not reimburse teams to attend the finals, but check with your district for available district support. The 2019-2020 GNT Conditions of Contest will be available Summer 2019.

ACBL-wide International Fund Game #2

September 12 (Thursday Daytime- start times are from 10 AM through 3:00 PM local time)

Game supplies are emailed two weeks before game date.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least five full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Game may be stratified with top strat open.
Games with 17 or more tables or two sections must have a non-playing director.
Winners recognized on website and in the Bridge Bulletin
Hand records and analyses provided electronicallySanction your International Fund game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

These events must be held during your regular club sanctioned sessions.
You may hold one pair game and one team game per-sanctioned session.
This event may not conflict with a higher rated one.
A minimum of three tables is required (pair games)
A minimum of three teams is required (team games)
Field must be seeded.
Both games may be stratified.
This event may not be held within 25 miles of a sectional.
This event may not be held during a district regional.Click here for Conditions of Contest for the pair game and here for the team game. Click here for the updated Swiss teams guide.

Game supplies are emailed two weeks before game date.
Any club OR unit may hold this game.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least five full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Game may be stratified with top strat open.
Game with 17 tables or more or two sections must have a non-playing director.
Winners recognized on website and in the Bridge Bulletin
Hand records and analyses provided electronicallySanction your Senior Pairs game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

Canada Olympiad Fund Game

October 10 (Thursday Afternoon)

81.8% sectional rated black

Special sanction required

$8.35 per table plus $1.00 per table in U.S. funds.

Game supplies are emailed two weeks before game date.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time.
If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least three full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Games of 17 or more tables or more than one section must have a non-playing director.
Hand records and analyses provided electronicallySanction your Canada Olympiad Fund game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

Erin Berry Canadian Rookie-Master Game

October 21 (Monday)

56% sectional-rated black

A special “pro-am” game pairing newcomers with fewer than 50 points with more experienced players. Hand records and analyses provided.
For information: Please contact canbridge@rogers.com.

ACBL-wide Instant Matchpoint Game

October 31 (Thursday Daytime– start times are from 10 AM through 3:00 PM local time)

Game supplies shipped two weeks prior to game date
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
Games of 17 or more tables or more than one section must have a non-playing director.
Games must have five tables and a minimum of 18 boards.
High scores must be reported to the ACBL by the date specified.
Winners recognized on website and in the Bridge Bulletin
Hand records and analyses provided
See your score instantly after each deal is played! Features for players include a booklet with complete analyses of the deals by national champion Larry Cohen.Sanction your Instant Matchpoint game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

December 2019

Game

Date

Masterpoints

Sanction

Sanction Fees

Special Instructions

ACBL-wide International Fund Game

December 16 (Monday Daytime– start times are from 10 AM through 3:00 PM local time)

Game supplies are emailed two weeks before game date.
This event must be run at the appointed date and time. If you do not have a session, you may still run this event with the permission of your unit.
The game must have at least five full tables and include at least 21 boards.
Games may be stratified with top strat open.
Games with 17 tables or more must have a non-playing director.
Winners recognized on website and in the Bridge Bulletin
Hand records and analyses provided electronicallySanction your International Fund game now!
Contact specialevents@acbl.org

If a club holds these events it must hold each of the two club championship sessions for one weekly game during a different calendar quarter of the year, except for an event it conducts in two sessions. A club may not carry over a club championship from one year to the next for the purpose of conducting a two-session event.

A regularly scheduled club game held at a frequency other than weekly is entitled to one session with club championship rating for each 12 meetings of its regular game.

A club may change the playing site of a club championship with written approval from the unit with jurisdiction over the new site. Once a year, a club may hold a one- or two-session club championship at a time other than that of the game it represents.

The club must obtain written permission from all other clubs holding sanctioned games within a 25-mile radius on that day of the week.

A club may hold as many membership games per year as it has sanctioned sessions. A club entitled to hold more than one membership game must schedule each one for a different session (for example, not two Friday nights).

A club may change the playing site of a membership game with written approval from the unit with jurisdiction over the new site.
A membership game may not be run at the same time as an ACBL-wide event, sectional or regional if located within 25 miles of the playing site of the higher rated event.

Inter-Club Championship Games

24 available dates scheduled by the ACBL

Club black with club championship rating for overall across the field.

Clubs must register at least seven days in advance of a game.
Clubs will receive material via e-mail 48 hours prior to the game. Arrangements must be made to print the hands for duplication or have the director duplicate the hands for his or her game. If you receive hand records from the ACBL and decide not to participate in the event, please notify the ACBL so that we are not expecting results from your club.
You must score your game using ACBLscore to participate.
Set up your game as follows:
Select “2 – Club Championship (ALL).”
Select “5 – Inter-Club Championship” from the next pick box.
To be included in the overalls, morning and afternoon games must be reported by noon (Central Standard Time) the following day and evening games by 3:00 p.m. (Central Standard Time) the following day. Results not received by that time will not be included in the overall results. Two (2) hours before these deadlines, if you haven’t received notification that your file has been received, please contact iccg@acbl.org.
Enjoy face-to-face play with the perk of across-the-field scoring through the Internet to determine overall rankings at all clubs that participate on the same date. Hand records include analyses by Deep Finesse on the maximum number of tricks per contract. Results, recap sheets and frequency charts also are posted. Click here for dates and other information. 2019 games coming soon!

A game held at clubs in districts where an NABC is scheduled for the next three years. The district schedules a week for the games, and the ACBL sends this information to clubs advising them that the game may be held.

* In the remaining eight months of the year (February, March, June, July, Aug., Oct., Nov. and Dec.) one game per month per sanctioned session may be a special game for one of the following funds:
Junior Fund
Charity Foundation
to benefit the ACBL Charity Foundation (Canadian Charity Foundation for clubs in Canada) or alternate to benefit a local charity organization
International Fund
Educational Foundation
Grass Roots FUNd
A regularly scheduled club game held at a frequency other than weekly, may hold one special “fund” game every fourth game.

Canadian Bridge Week—CBF National Championships

Canadian National Team Championship (CNTC)
Flights: A (open), B (0-1000)

Canadian Senior Team Championship (CSTC)

National championships in Canada begin at the club level and culminate with the finals during Canadian Bridge Week. The winning women’s, national and senior teams go on to represent Canada in international competition. Qualifying dates vary. Click here for more detailed information on the Canadian Bridge Federation website.Back to top

ICC Games

Has your club been holding Inter-Club Championship games? These games are scheduled twice a month with all participating clubs using identical hand records. Overall rankings and recaps are posted on our website within 24 hours.